Sør-Varanger: population and statistics
Sør-Varanger has a population of 9,947 (2026) across 3,459.0 km², or 2.9 people per km². It ranks 114 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −2.7% between 2016 and 2026.
- 9,947 residents
- 3,459.0 km²
- 3 people/km²
- 60 m
Key points
Among the 18 municipalities in Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku, Sør-Varanger ranks No. 3 by population.
Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men): 80.9 years in Sør-Varanger, compared with an average of 80.9 years in Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku and 83.1 years nationally.
Share of dwellings built before 1946: 4.7% in Sør-Varanger, compared with an average of 2.2% in Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku and 15.9% nationally.
Largest business sector: Real estate, with 11.8% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 50° generates about 741 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men)”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of dwellings built before 1946”: lower than in 93% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 484,454 football pitches.
- Its population density is 6.4 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Vadsø, 39.9 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Alta (22,074 residents), 261 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 2,964 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Sør-Varanger in numbers
All indicators for Sør-Varanger
Value for the municipality, then the regional average and the national median (for counts: regional and national totals). The gauge places the municipality between the lowest and highest value in the country.
Population
| Indicator | Sør-Varanger | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 0.9 per 1,000 inh. | 3.2 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 240 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 21.2% | 20.3% | 23.7% | ranked 260 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 17.2% | 18.4% | 18.7% | ranked 258 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Sør-Varanger | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 5,753 | 42,158 | 2,760,619 | ranked 103 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 4.7% | 2.2% | 16.4% | ranked 328 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 19.2% | 20.7% | 21.8% | ranked 200 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 81.7% | 83.0% | 89.9% | ranked 266 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 8.3% | 8.3% | 4.4% | ranked 104 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 207.1 per 1,000 inh. | 151.3 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 136 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Sør-Varanger | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 1,131 | 10,657 | 656,492 | ranked 121 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 113.7 per 1,000 inh. | 141.6 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 233 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 526,800 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 77 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 1,329 per 1,000 inh. | 12,488 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 130 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 133.6 per 1,000 inh. | 165.9 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 292 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 11.6 per 1,000 inh. | 13.4 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 189 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Sør-Varanger | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 69.3% | 68.9% | 67.5% | ranked 113 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 0.7% | 1.0% | 0.9% | ranked 238 of 351 |
Transport
| Indicator | Sør-Varanger | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 603 per 1,000 inh. | 550 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 138 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 11.2% | 11.5% | 19.7% | ranked 310 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Sør-Varanger | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 19.5% | 17.5% | 15.2% | ranked 74 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Sør-Varanger | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men) (2025) | 80.9 years | 80.9 | 82.8 | ranked 334 of 351 |
Education
| Indicator | Sør-Varanger | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 33.5% | 31.6% | 27.5% | ranked 58 of 351 |
Population of Sør-Varanger over time
Sør-Varanger had 10,227 residents in 2016 and 9,947 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 10,103 |
| 2022 | 9,925 |
| 2023 | 9,850 |
| 2024 | 10,063 |
| 2025 | 9,963 |
| 2026 | 9,947 |
Where is Sør-Varanger?
Business sectors: Sør-Varanger
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Real estate11.8% ×1.1
- Construction11.4% ×1.1
- Health and social work10.5% ×1.1
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing10.3% ×1.0
- Wholesale and retail trade10.3% ×0.9
- Professional, scientific and technical7.2% ×0.6
- Transport and storage6.2% ×1.4
- Administrative and support services5.7% ×1.2
Sunshine and temperatures: Sør-Varanger
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Sør-Varanger?
Sør-Varanger has 9,947 residents (2026), ranking 114 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Sør-Varanger?
Sør-Varanger covers 3,459.0 km², with a density of 3 people per km².
Is the population of Sør-Varanger growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Sør-Varanger went from 10,227 to 9,947, a change of −2.7%.
Where is Sør-Varanger?
Sør-Varanger is in Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku. Latitude 69.729, longitude 30.042.
Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men): what is the figure for Sør-Varanger?
In Sør-Varanger, “Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men)” stands at 80.9 years (2025), ranking 334 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 82.8 years.
Share of dwellings built before 1946: what is the figure for Sør-Varanger?
In Sør-Varanger, “Share of dwellings built before 1946” stands at 4.7% (2026), ranking 328 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 16.4%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Sør-Varanger?
In Sør-Varanger, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 50° produces about 741 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Sør-Varanger?
The nearest to Sør-Varanger are Vadsø (40 km), Unjárga - Nesseby (71 km), Vardø (82 km), Båtsfjord (84 km), Deatnu - Tana (88 km).